Istra kao enogastronomska turistička destinacija

Due to the growing demand and choice of the contemporary tourists, various specific forms of tourism and the alternative motives of travelling are very often discussed outside the frame of the usual 'sun sand and sea' concept. One of the more frequent motives of travel and a very important form of tourism today is gastronomic tourism, which is in our area of the Istrian Region particularly well-developed. It is especially thanks to its favorable geographic position and the Mediterranean climate due to which several unique and famous varieties of wine are present, also the Istrian truffle, which is a symbol of Istrian gastronomy, and the olive culture for the production of the highly appreciated Istrian olive oil. Due to the position of the region, the Istrian cuisine is also under the influence of the neighboring Italy and its cuisine that is world-famous, so it is no surprise that the Istrian gastronomy is slowly earning its reputation and nowadays attracting numerous gourmet enthusiasts. Each year a lot of events, festivals, competitions and tastings of both wine and food are being held all over the region, so Istria is slowly branding itself as an eno-gastronomic destination that offers something more than just a classic tourist experience. Wine and olive oil roads, small home craft breweries, organizing truffle hunting, the opening of renowned wine cellars (Open Wine Cellars Day) and the opening of top restaurants and agri-tourisms along the coast and in the inland are just some of the facts that prove the extraordinary potential of the Istrian Peninsula to find itself, with the appropriate promotion, side by side the tourist eno-gastronomical giants like France or neighboring Italy.Zbog sve veće zahtjevnosti i izbirljivosti suvremenog turista sve češće se govori o raznim specifičnim oblicima turizma, te alternativnim motivima putovanja mimo sfere uobičajenog 'sun sand and sea' koncepta. Jedan od sve učestalijih motiva putovanja i vrlo važan oblik turizma danas je gastronomski turizam, koji se na našim područjima na poseban način razvija u Istri, osobito zahvaljujući njezinom povoljnom geografskom položaju i mediteranskoj klimi zbog kojih na području Istre uspijeva nekoliko jedinstvenih i poznatih sorta vina, istarski tartuf koji je simbol istarske gastronomije, te kultura masline za proizvodnju vrlo cijenjenog istarskog maslinovog ulja. Istarska kuhinja je i zbog položaja regije pod jakim utjecajem susjedne Italije i talijanske kuhinje koja je svjetski poznata, stoga ne čudi kako i istarska gastronomija polako stiče ugled i privlači mnoštvo gastronomskih entuzijasta i znatiželjnika danas. Svake se godine organizira mnoštvo festivala, smotri, natjecanja i degustacija kako vina tako i hrane te na taj način Istra polako sebe brendira kao enogastronomsku destinaciju koja nudi nešto više od klasičnog turističkog doživljaja. Vinske ceste i ceste maslinovog ulja, male domaće craft pivovare, organiziranje lova na tartufe, otvaranje vrata renomiranih vinskih podruma te otvaranje vrhunskih restorana i agroturizama duž obale i unutrašnjosti samo su neke od činjenica koje dokazuju iznimni potencijal istarskog poluotoka da se u budućnosti uz odgovarajuću promociju nađe uz bok turističkim enogastronomskim divovima poput Francuske ili susjedne Italije